Carbon Capture and Storage Safety Protocols

As global efforts combine to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change, several crucial technologies have come to the fore. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a promising and effective technology that can balance the ongoing reliance on fossil fuels with achieving climate change objectives. However, like any technology, it comes with risks and challenges, and carbon capture safety is a concern for many.

Despite the risks, CCS is a promising alternative, especially in industrial settings. It can be a safe and effective solution for high-emission areas if the risks are thoroughly assessed and detailed steps are taken to mitigate them. With professional environmental, health and safety (EHS) management solutions, organizations can leverage this promising alternative while maintaining profitability during widespread energy transition.

Introduction to Carbon Capture and Storage Safety

CCS is a critical technology in the global reduction of carbon emissions to combat climate change. Only 31% of Americans are willing to eliminate fossil fuels, so CCS is a viable alternative to complete the energy transition. At the very least, it provides a safe way to reduce carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions until there is less reliance on fossil fuels.

The primary goal of CCS is to reduce overall CO₂ emissions from significant industrial sources, which account for 30% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. The global capture capacity of commercial CCS facilities worldwide amounts to 42 million metric tons per year.

In line with the Biden administration’s commitment to reducing emissions by 2035, the EPA has proposed regulations that push forward several requirements, including carbon capture and sequestration. Although CCS requires considerable investment and infrastructure, it has the potential to capture 90% of the CO₂ emissions from power plants and industrial facilities, making substantial inroads into overall climate goals.

Despite its potential, CCS has considerable risks, including CO₂ leakage and potential seismic disruptions. Carbon capture safety is paramount, and the primary concern is ensuring the stored CO₂ remains securely underground. Proper site selection, adequate well design and state-of-the-art monitoring systems are crucial in ensuring the safety and stability of CCS projects.

Exploring Carbon Storage Technologies

CCS captures CO₂ emissions from industrial processes or any other project that burns fossil fuels for power generation. Several steps and technologies are necessary to maintain safety and efficiency throughout the CCS process:

Site identification: All CO₂ storage sites should be safe and easily monitored. Identifying the ideal site involves a comprehensive evaluation of the area’s geology, the proximity to point sources of CO₂ and the availability of infrastructure. Proximity to transportation is also an essential factor.

CO₂ capture: The CO₂ from point sources such as industrial sites must be isolated from other gases and contaminants produced when burning fossil fuels. Various technologies exist to complete this step, including membrane separation, chemical absorption and cryogenic separation. 

Transportation: Once captured, the CO₂ must move to the storage site by truck, train, sea or pipeline. 

Storage: The captured CO₂ is injected into suitable underground formations, such as depleted oil and gas reservoirs or saline aquifers, for permanent storage. 

Monitoring: Ensuring the CO₂ remains in underground storage is of critical importance. The storage site must be carefully monitored with advanced technology solutions, and personnel must conduct periodic checks to ensure the storage facility remains secure. 

Types of Monitoring Tools

Monitoring CSS storage facilities is a proactive method to detect minor leaks and repair them before they become significant issues. New technologies continue to emerge, but some standard safety and monitoring tools include:

• Atmospheric monitoring tools: These tools measure CO₂ density and flux in the atmosphere above underground storage sites. Tools like optical CO₂ sensors, eddy covariance (EC) flux measurements and atmospheric CO₂ tracers identify and quantify the CO₂ in the atmosphere to detect leaks. 
• Near-surface monitoring techniques: Geochemical, ecosystem stress and surface displacement monitoring tools measure CO₂ in areas extending from the top of the soil zone to the shallow groundwater zone.
• Subsurface monitoring tools: These tools detect and monitor CO₂ migration, tracking the movements of the CO₂ injected into the rock formation and storage reservoir. A combination of well logging and downhole monitoring tools, subsurface fluid sampling, seismic imaging, and high-precision gravity identify faults or fractures and analyze any micro-seismic activity within the storage system.

The Importance of Safety Training Programs in CCS Projects

Although CCS is a viable and effective way of containing CO₂ emissions, leaks or system failures can have catastrophic consequences. Safety training and competency programs should be considered at the outset of every project. Stringent competency and training requirements should be included for all staff, including hazardous substances training. CCS projects are only viable if all personnel understand their roles and responsibilities and can react quickly and decisively in emergencies.

As technology evolves and new control systems are implemented, existing staff must be retrained to assimilate the differences. All staff must receive comprehensive training in handling any new chemicals on site. Training courses in every aspect of a person’s role must be readily available and continuous professional development must be woven into the facility’s culture.

Comprehensive safety training ensures workers in all stages of CCS, from capture to monitoring, understand the risks involved to make informed decisions and prevent accidents. These programs cover safe equipment handling, hazard recognition and emergency response, creating a safer work environment and reducing the likelihood of accidents or injuries. They also reduce the regulatory risks associated with managing a CCS project.

Well-trained workers are better equipped to identify and respond to safety concerns, leading to effective risk management and project success.

The Risk of CO₂ Leakage

Although CO₂ can be safely stored underground, leakage poses a significant risk for any CCS project. When compressed CO₂ is stored in underground reservoirs, there is a minor risk of abrupt or gradual leakage, which could have devastating effects on the environment and nearby populations.

Leakage can occur for various reasons, including injection well failure, poor site selection and preparation, or faults, fractures and seal failure. The challenges are similar to those the underground gas industry successfully managed for decades. However, minimizing leakage risks is crucial for successful CCS projects.

Selecting appropriate storage sites is critical. Any potential storage site should undergo rigorous geographical testing to determine its suitability. Sites must have a proper rock cap to prevent CO₂ leakage. They must be deep enough to store the CO₂ in a constant fluid state — at least 3,000 feet below the surface. Even the ideal storage site requires continuous monitoring to address minor leaks and prevent them from becoming health, safety and environmental risks.

Ensuring the Integrity of Storage Sites

Storage site integrity is vital to prevent leakage. The process involves ensuring sites contain well-characterized geological formations and establishing that no pathways exist for CO₂ to move to the surface. Previous drilling operations in the area must be evaluated to ensure they do not compromise the site’s integrity.

Any active site must meet robust regulatory requirements and undergo constant monitoring. In the U.S., the EPA is responsible for establishing and enforcing regulations associated with CO₂ injection. Its Underground Inspection Control (UIC) program sets minimum technical criteria for permitting, geologic site characterization, construction, monitoring and operation of CCS sites. Current U.S. Geological Survey and Department of Energy investigations emphasize the need for site integrity, porosity, depth and permeability.

Even a site that meets the baseline criteria has weaknesses. A thorough risk assessment evaluates and manages potential hazards and scenarios that could cause CO₂ leakage and other issues, such as well failure and seismic activity. Project managers should assess the likelihood of these events and develop detailed mitigation strategies to ensure continued site safety.

Addressing Concerns About Induced Seismic Activity

In some cases, injecting CO₂ and other fluids has been linked to induced seismicity, depending on the location. While seismic activity is uncommon, it still raises some concern, particularly in areas with active faults or where significant pressure buildup could occur.

The EPA’s UIC regulations help ensure injection activities do not result in significant seismic activity. When storage sites are seismically stable and well-maintained, the risks are minor. While pressure buildup at active sites could result in minor seismic activity, most of these events would be unnoticeable. However, addressing the potential for more extensive magnitude activity is essential to CCS safety.

Forecasting and mitigating the effects of potential seismicity requires a clear understanding of the underlying geological processes. Triggering more significant seismic activity could result in a major leakage, damaging the environment and nearby populations. The seismicity risk must be carefully evaluated in the site selection phase, and careful monitoring is required to mitigate any risks.

How Safe Is Carbon Capture and Storage?

Carbon capture and storage can lead the path toward established emissions goals quickly and effectively. Offshore storage alone can provide up to 13% of the global CO₂ reduction required to achieve climate change goals. Despite the potential risks, carbon capture is safe provided each project adheres to the rigorous storage site selection and monitoring criteria.

Oil, gas and naturally occurring CO₂ deposits have been part of subsurface formations for millions of years, proving that it’s possible to store CO₂ in similar formations for extended periods. In particular, CCS projects provide a viable solution for high-emission industrial activities, reducing carbon emissions from some or their most robust sources.

The safe capture, transportation, storage and monitoring of CO₂ requires robust safety strategies and intensive training for all personnel. CCS safety involves:

• Finding the most viable storage site.
• Assessing site integrity.
• Identifying weaknesses and enacting safety protocols in response.

With the right team, training and protocols in place, CCS is one of the frontrunners in our battle against climate change.

The Health Effects of Carbon Capture

Well-monitored CCS projects have no direct health impact on workers or nearby populations. However, the health risks of a leak can be significant. In 2020, a pipeline leak in Satartia, Mississippi, resulted in the evacuation of 200 people, and 45 were hospitalized. Due to its properties, CO₂ poses significant risks when released due to a leak or pipeline rupture. In large quantities, it can cause death by asphyxiation.

Natural CO₂ deposits periodically leak into the environment, and in small quantities, these amounts pose no immediate risk. The same can be said of CCS projects — minor leakage is unlikely to have any significant consequences. Many viable CO₂ storage sites are offshore in remote locations, further limiting the likelihood of health risks even in the event of leakage.

Protecting worker health is essential even in remote areas with no nearby populations. With increased access to more reliable technology, the likelihood of these incidents becomes increasingly smaller. Innovative monitoring technology, intensive worker training and robust safety protocols will protect workers from the potential adverse effects of CO₂ leaks.

Every project has unique storage and transportation needs, and working alongside experienced EHS management professionals allows organizations to proactively manage risks and identify opportunities for continuous health and safety improvements. In addition, they can help you navigate rapidly changing compliance requirements and create long-term business value. 

The Future of CCS Safety

In the wake of the urgent need for climate change mitigation strategies and the 2030 and 2050 emissions goals, CCS technology is likely to play a crucial role in limiting carbon emissions in industrial projects. With legislation and evolving regulation positioning CCS as a priority, we can expect innovative research and technical developments in the future, safeguarding workers and communities and contributing to a greener future.

Increasing energy demands make the transition to renewable energy sources more challenging. In the interim, reliance on fossil fuels is a reality for many industries. CCS solutions can effectively bridge the gap between the present and a complete energy transition in the future. 

As CCS enables the continued use of fossil fuels while reducing CO₂ emissions, we can expect increasing investment in the technology in the coming years, leading to more intensive processes to establish site integrity. Operations will become progressively safer within CCS facilities and the surrounding environment. Governments, private organizations and policymakers will collaborate to address regulatory and economic challenges, resulting in the widespread development of CCS systems. In time, their implementation will expand to boost sustainability outcomes further.

Navigate Health, Safety and Compliance With TRC Companies Today

CCS technology is an excellent tool in the battle against climate change. However, safe and successful long-term CO₂ storage requires careful site selection, rigorous testing and continuous monitoring to ensure the safety of on-site personnel, nearby populations and the surrounding environment. The risks of CO₂ leakage, and, to a lesser extent, seismic activity, are manageable with a comprehensive EHS management strategy.

TRC can help you navigate the rapidly changing world of environmental compliance. Our team has the expertise to keep your staff safe and healthy while maintaining compliance with CCS regulations. With over 50 years of experience bringing EHS solutions to complex industries, we have the technical knowledge and expertise to tackle complex challenges raised by evolving CCS technology and the accompanying legislation.

Contact us today to learn more about maintaining profitability while achieving your sustainability objectives.